HARGEISA (Somalilandsun) – The Ministry of Environment has comprehensively denied information provided by the local newspapers alleged to have been authorized commercial agreement for wildlife exportation between the Ministry and one of the Gulf State.

This was informed by the Director of Forests at the environment ministry Mr. Mahmud Guribarwaqo in a press statement in which he also cautioned local media houses against publishing unverified thence false information.

“The ministry of Environment has neither an overt or covert wildlife export agreement with any Gulf states” said the Forests Dept boss

The Director was reacting to a story published by Hubaal newspaper which alleged that the environment ministry had issued licenses to some businesses from the Gulf to export indigenous and endangered species of birds from Somaliland.

While emphasizing on the administration’s commitment towards wild, bird and marine life protection Guribarwaqo said a recent ban imposed on poaching and illegal exports of the country’s wildlife stands firm.

Earlier in the week the Somaliland Minister of Environment Mrs. Shukri Haji Ismail Bandare issued a directive banning the export either illegal or otherwise of any wildlife from the country.

In her directive minister Bandare who ordered her ministries regional coordinators to effect surveillance against poachers and poaching in cooperation with the police force also informed a head count of the wildlife in the country is in advanced stages.

In a visit to Somaliland in June 2012 Charles Davies accompanied by Abdi Jama on a bird watching trip observed over 100 species of birds in various parts of the country